Rocky Mountain High West of Colorado Springs

As clueless flatlanders, we really didn’t pay too much attention to altitude when planning our summer sojourn in Colorado. We generally knew that higher elevation would mean cooler temperatures, but didn’t examine the idea much more closely. We were surprised to find that Pagosa Springs was at over 7,000 fees of elevation, but since we’ve … Read more

Finishing the Mighty 5: Arches, Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point, and Moab

If you’ve ever seen a Jeep commercial or a western film, you already know what the region around Moab looks like. The red rock mesas with sheer vertical sides are some of the most familiar images of the American west. But while the sandstone formations were undoubtedly impressive, what really made it special for us … Read more

Mighty 5 Begins: Zion, Bryce, Kodachrome Basin, and Grand Staircase-Escalante

After being wowed by the geology of Valley of Fire in Nevada, we headed into Utah — a state that is completely new to both of us, and which is home to some of the most dramatic rock formations in the US. Our plans take us through all of Utah’s “Mighty 5” national parks, as … Read more